Ezekiel Elliott stood before the media Wednesday afternoon as the highest paid running back in football. He spoke about how that was important to him.

Why?

"Because I believe I'm the best," Elliott said.

The 6-year, $90 million extension Elliott and his representatives agreed to earlier in the day made him the highest paid running back in NFL history. Elliott said when he went to bed well after midnight -- he only got about an hour-and-a-half of sleep -- he didn't think an agreement would be reached in time for him to take part in Wednesday's practice.

He got the call shortly after 6 a.m. that he was cleared to go.

"Yeah, it took them a couple of calls to wake me up," said Elliott, who conceded he hadn't prepared himself for the possibility that he would miss Sunday's regular-season opener.

"I was definitely really anxious because I definitely wanted to be here for the start of the season. I'm happy it got done when it did and happy to be able to rejoin my teammates and start the season with them."

Elliott said he's confident he can handle as many touches as the coaching staff sends his way against the Giants. He said he didn't take any of the comments made by Jerry and Stephen Jones to the media during the holdout personally.

"It's just negotiations," Elliott said. "You've got to get through it. We're good."

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Not even the joking 'Zeke Who' comment the owner made after the second preseason game?

"I mean, that's so far behind us," said Elliott, who later added he hasn't spoken to Jerry Jones since the spring. "We signed a deal, so there's no point in talking about that other stuff."